


The Good Place

by Maxmerica



Series: The Afterlife [1]
Category: The Selection Series - Kiera Cass
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Good Place (TV) Fusion, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Light Angst, Mentions of Miscarriage(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-17 22:03:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15471066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maxmerica/pseuds/Maxmerica
Summary: Amberly has just died. Now she must start to navigate the afterlife.





	The Good Place

**Author's Note:**

> This story covers just the beginning of Amberly's first day as a dead person

As Amberly fell backward from the pain she heard another gunshot and a dull thud.

‘Well,' she thought to herself as the world went black around her, ‘I guess they got Clarkson too.’ Slowly, painfully she reached out for her husband’s hand. She was only comforted by his touch for a second when the blackness engulfed her.

Suddenly, as if waking up from a nightmare, Amberly found herself jerking to alertness. Taking in her surroundings Amberly immediately noticed that she was not in her bedroom, either one. In fact, the room she found herself in looked more like an upscale waiting room them any bedroom she’d ever seen. The room was white and pristine including the couch she found herself sitting on. Right across from where she was sitting there was a sign in brilliant green lettering reading “Welcome! Everything is fine" before she could observe much more a tall, friendly-looking young woman emerged from the oak double doors on the left-hand side of the room. “Amberly? Why don't we head on into my office," she said indicating the room behind her with a nod of her head.

“A..a..al..Alright,” Amberly stammered as she followed the stranger where she indicated.

"Hi, Amberly. My name is Beadie,” Beadie said as they both sat down at her desk. “How are you today?”

"Weirdly pretty good considering I'm dead and all," Amberly replied nonchalantly, "So let me guess this is purgatory and I'm stuck here until I either atone for my earthly sins or the second coming happens. Whichever comes first."

“Actually, no. Amberly Schreave, you are in The Good Place.”

“So, Heaven?”

“Well no not exactly. It's not the Heaven or Hell idea you were raised on, but generally speaking, there's a Good Place and a Bad Place. Congratulations on making it to The Good Place.”

"Um, thanks."

“Any questions?”

"Yes actually, I have one question. What happened to my husband? Did he survive?”

“Technically that’s two questions but I’ll answer them as one. Your husband was shot in the head, so no he did not survive the attack.”

“Oh okay. So, I have a few more questions then. Why isn’t he with me? Is this like a separate interview process for each person? Or does he go to a different part of The Good Place since he was king? Oh my god I’m a terrible mother! Is my son alright? Is America?”

“Your husband is not with you because he is in The Bad Place.”

“What! Why?”

“Let us start with the minor stuff even Good Placers sometimes do, shall we? Let us see there’s spreading gossip, jaywalking, and talking on the phone during a movie. Moving on to more middle level stuff we have telling a woman to smile, stiffing a waiter, and screaming at a cashier or waiter. You ready for the really bad stuff Amberly?”

“Yes Beadie, I’m ready.”

"Okay, we have starting a land war in Asia, having an affair, and child abuse."

“What….What kind of abuse?”

"He was cold and distant with your son, very rarely showing affection. He was often harsh, overly critical, and quick to anger with Maxon. Ever since he was about elven your husband would cane him. The first time was after he discovered your husband's infidelity."

"THAT BASTARD! HE LAYED HIS HANDS ON MY SON! HE’S LUCKY HE’S DEAD OR I’D KILL HIM MYSELF!”

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way Amberly. On the bright side, Maxon and America are both alive.”

"No, it's better that I find my first night of the afterlife rather than spend days or weeks or even years wondering why my husband isn't in The Good Place with me. And thank you truly thank you for the news about my son."

“Let’s go for walk.” 

“Alright,” Amberly said as she followed Beadie out of the office into what appeared to be a small village not dissimilar to the one she grew up in.

“You were right about there being different sections of The Good Place expect we like to call them neighborhoods and there are not divided by popularity of the person, but more based on preferences of living spaces.”

“That makes sense.”

“Every neighborhood is catered to meet the needs of everyone who lives there.” As Beadie lead her through main street, Amberly took in the sights of her neighbors. She noticed that they were all staring at her. Looking at down she immediately realized why she was still in the formal dress she was wearing when she died and everyone else was wearing much more casual clothing.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see soon enough,” Beadie said as they turned the corner heading towards a more residential area. “By the way Maxon is not your only child, right?”

“Yes, I had three babies that I lost before I could hold them. Two before Maxon. One after.”

“How old would they be now?"

“The older two would be 21 and 20 and my little Ximena would be 9. Why are you asking about them?”

“Do you know what happens to miscarried or stillborn babies in the Afterlife,” Beadie asked clearly avoiding answering Amberly’s question.

“My mother told me that they go the Heaven. I’m assuming that the same principals apply here.”

“Yep pretty much,” Beadie said as they approached what looked like downside version of the Palace. “Welcome to your home for eternity.” Amberly hesitated as she approached her house. Gently she opened up the door and inside she was shocked and delighted to find that it was decorated like a fancy version of her childhood home. “Every resident’s home is exactly the way they love it to be.”

“That explains why this place looks a cross between the Palace and my home in Honduragua,” Amberly said as she ran her hand along the sofa. “You asked me about my other babies before, why? Also, you asked me how old they would be now, again why?”

“Well like we discussed, miscarried and stillborn babies end up in here. And.”

“So, I get to see my babies? They live here, and I get to actually meet them,” Amberly eagerly asked cutting off Beadie.

“Yes, and they are the ages they would be today if they had not died.” Amberly burst into tears upon hearing that news. "You have two daughters and one son whom would love to meet you. Janet, please bring in Theodo, Katharina, and Ximena; their mother wants to meet them." There was a loud pop and suddenly a tall brown-haired woman dressed in a long-sleeved dress appeared followed by three young people. The tallest was Theodo who even towered over the woman that Amberly assumed to be Janet. He had short brown hair, green eyes, and olive-toned skin. Katharina looked like a mirror-image of Amberly except for her facial structure. Ximena, like her brothers, looked like the perfect blend of her and Clarkson with her blond hair, brown eyes, and medium toned skin. All three of them were dressed just as casually as her neighbors. Seeing her children alive and looking just the way she’d always dreamed made her cry even harder. Ximena ran over and hugged her first.

"Don't cry, Mama. Everything's going to be alright," she said as Amberly hugged her back.

“Oh, sweetie these are happy tears I promise,” Amberly reassured her daughter. “People’s bodies are just silly like that sometimes.”

“I know that Mom. I’m nine not five.”

"Yeah but to Mom, you'll always be a baby," Theodo said as he went over to hug his mother as well.

“Especially since you’re the baby of the family. Even when Maxon comes you’ll still be the youngest,” Katharina interjected as she out her arm Ximena’s head while giving her mother a one-armed hug.

“Hey now all of you are my babies,” Amberly said as she wiped her eyes. “So, let me guess Katharina’s the oldest?”

“Yep,” Katharina responded.

“Well I will leave to continue this family reunion alone,” Beadie said as she headed out the door.

“Bye,” Janet said as she popped back to wherever she came from.

“How did you die,” Theodo asked as soon as the two strangers left.

"I got shot. I think it was a chest. But enough about me. What do you kids like to do?"

“Mom you just got here,” Theodo dryly pointed out.

“Yes, but I never got to know you guys.”

“Still Mom might want to stick to just meeting the neighbors.”

“Fair enough. Would I know any of them?”

“Yes, Shalom Singer arrived about two weeks ago. He mentioned that his daughter America is in The Elite.”

“Yep. Maxon narrowed it down to the final two, America and girl named Kriss Ambers. He was going to propose today but then we were attacked.”

“Well let’s go meet reintroduce you,” Ximena said as she pulled on Amberly’s hand leading her out the door. Now that she wasn’t in shock anymore Amberly was better able to observe her little section of the neighborhood. She immediately noticed that her house had a beautiful garden out front and a large backyard where she was sure her children played. On the right, there was a cozy looking house that she knew many Fives lived in. On the left, there was a country house that looked a fixed-up version of the one she grew up in. Instantly she knew that her parents lived there so she was not surprised when Ximena lead her to the right. Fixing her dress Amberly knocked on the door.

“I’m coming,” came the sound of Shalom Singer’s voice. "Oh, hello Amberly," he said as opened the door. "So, are we family yet?"

"I wouldn't know. We were attacked before Maxon could propose. I took a bullet for my good-for-nothing husband."

“I’m so sorry please come in," Shalom said as he moved out of the doorway so Amberly and the children could enter. "So, these are your children! Forgive me but assumed that they were cousins through your husband."

"No problem. I wasn't open with my fertility struggles as queen so I wouldn't expect anyone to assume they're mine."

“I understand. Welcome to The Good Place. Would you like something to drink?”

“Just water would be fine thanks,” Amberly said as she and her kids sat down on his couch. “Is this like where you lived in Carolina?”

“It’s identical.”

“You must have really loved it.”

“I still do. I miss Magda and the kids but at least I know I’ll see them again,” Shalom said as he walked into the living room. “Here’s your water.”

“Thanks,” Amberly said as she grabbed the glass from his hands. “Was it easy to adjust?”

“Talk to me in a year.”

“That bad huh. Maybe we could help each other out. I mean we’re almost family.”

“Sounds like a deal,” Shalom said as he reached out and shook hands with Amberly.


End file.
